


Song of Aideen

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-09 22:18:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18926119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Lisa is finally called to repay her debt to the tree. Louisa's various friends belong to my friends.





	Song of Aideen

Louisa could barely believe that it had been a few months that Lisa had been back on Jorvegian soil. Every day, when she left Herman’s house to train one of her horses, seeing Lisa still felt like something completely new. She still felt a little like a stranger, intruding on Lisa’s life, no matter how many times Lisa had joined her on Herman’s couch to watch movies and just hang out. But the days and then weeks and then months had passed, and now, December had dawned. Even if it was still very strange for Louisa to see snow on the ground. But she could see it now out her window as she sat at the table in Herman’s kitchen. She shivered, wrapping her hands around her mug of coffee. She really did not want to head out in that. But she wouldn’t have a choice, as she discovered when her phone buzzed with a message. Her heart leaped as she saw Lisa’s name, and she quickly unlocked her phone to read the message.

“Fripp called a meeting” Lisa had sent her. Louisa’s heart seized as she read the message. No. It was too soon, Lisa hadn’t rested enough, it was cold outside, and yet, Fripp wanted to see them.

“I’ll be there” Louisa sent back. “Just tell me when”

“Screw that, you can accompany me to the meeting” Lisa sent back. Louisa grinned, her heart thudding in her chest. “Meet you at the stables in 10”

“Can’t wait” Louisa sent back quickly before she could lose her nerve. She was worried about Lisa, yes, but knowing that Lisa wanted her there… it made her feel giddy. But she tried not to act too excited, though she did burn her tongue on her coffee and eat her toast faster than she ever had before. And she did spend a little longer than usual picking out nice clothes and making herself look nice. But she still felt her anxiety spike when Lisa knocked on her door.

“Morning,” said Louisa, not even feeling the cold air now as she opened the door to greet Lisa. Lisa’s smile did funny things to her heart.

“Morning,” said Lisa. “Ready to go? The Stone Circle exists out of time and space so we could go whenever but I just want to get this over and done with.”

“I feel that,” said Louisa. “Are you sure you’ve rested enough, though?”

“Not really but I don’t wanna get on the tree’s bad side,” said Lisa. “I’m not sure what she’ll do and she probably won’t be like the Whomping Willow but she got me out of there, she can probably put me back.” She was fiddling with the long necklace that she wore around her neck, the one that was actually a locket containing a photo of her mother and a photo of Starshine. Louisa took Lisa’s hands in her own, squeezing them and then rubbing her thumbs against the backs of them for comfort.

“It’ll be right,” said Louisa. “But you’re probably right, we should stop dragging our feet now. I don’t want to lose you again and I don’t want you to have to go through that again.”

“Thank you,” said Lisa, hugging her. The hug surprised Louisa, that was a rather new development in their relationship. But she gladly returned it, even as she could feel Lisa trembling in her arms.

Starshine seemed concerned too, nuzzling his head into Lisa’s palm. Louisa watched this action, a little distracted as she tried to fix up Goldie’s bridle. A snort from her horse informed her that she’d tangled it into knots in her distraction.

“Don’t drag your feet,” Goldie chided her gently.

“I know, I know,” Louisa replied down their mental bond as she fixed his bridle properly this time.

On the ride to Valedale, Louisa distracted Lisa by chattering to her about little things. Things that had been happening on Jorvik, silly things that her friends or friends’ horses had done, things that had happened in the shows she watched and books she read and games she played. By the time they reached the spiral path, they were arguing over whether or not a contestant on a singing show should have won.

“Nice of you to finally join us, Lisa,” said Fripp. Alex rolled her eyes.

“Thank you for allowing me to rest,” said Lisa, though Louisa bristled at Fripp’s flippant attitude.

“I believe that it is wise for you to go back and speak to the tree,” said Fripp. “The Sleeping Widow. It is of the utmost important to keep the Wardens on our side!”

“I just got here,” Lisa muttered under her breath. Louisa took Lisa’s hand in her own, feeling her trembling. For Lisa to return to the place where she’d initially been captured… Louisa couldn’t even imagine how that felt. She felt nervous enough, and she’d just been almost trapped there along with her friends.

“What was that?” Fripp asked.

“Okay,” said Lisa, nodding. “I’ll do it.”

“Very good,” said Fripp. “You and the Keepers of Light may speak to the tree and do whatever she asks of you. I remind you that the resources of the Keepers of Aideen are available to be used as you need them.”

“By which he means that Avalon and I will help you with everything you need,” said Elizabeth.

“Thank you,” said Louisa, turning to grin at the woman. Elizabeth had been the driving force behind convincing Fripp to allow Lisa to rest for those few months.

“I am not looking forward to this,” said Lisa once they’d arrived back outside of Valedale. “I really don’t want to go back there.” She brushed tears from her eyes, and Louisa dismounted to hug her again.

“It’ll be right,” said Louisa. “I’ll call my friends and they can help us out.”

“I wish they could talk to the tree for me,” said Lisa, swallowing thickly.

“Me too,” said Louisa. “But I guess sometimes, you have to do things. Even if you really, really don’t want to.” Lisa hugged Louisa a little tighter, pressing her face into Louisa’s fleece-lined jacket. Louisa let her cry, rubbing Lisa’s back and murmuring to her that it would be okay.

“Okay,” said Lisa, taking a deep breath and the hanky that Louisa offered once she’d managed to compose herself. “Call your friends. Let’s go.”

“Are you sure?” Louisa asked.

“Yeah,” said Lisa, nodding. “Let’s go before I chicken out.”

The druids had a way of communicating that used a series of squirrels, secret tunnels, and notes. The Keepers of Light, however, had followed the lead of the Soul Riders and had a group chat that Louisa now posted in, saying to meet at Jorvik Stables. Riding in a large group, she hoped, would help keep Lisa calm because there was strength and security in numbers.

And, by the time they returned to Jorvik Stables, there was a large group of people waiting for them. Willow, Jay, Daine, Izzy, Hollis, Cadence, Shane, Via, Viktor, Roo, Ali, Lucy, Ariana, and, of course, Eden, were all there waiting for Lisa and Louisa.

“Damn, where’d you guys all come from?” Lisa asked with a laugh. But Louisa saw her brush away a tear.

“It’s good to have friends,” said Louisa.

“It sure is,” said Willow, giving them a smile. “Let’s get this shit done.”

“Let’s go talk to a tree,” said Ariana. Louisa noticed that Viktor looked a little hurt when she rode beside Lisa, but she ignored it. He was just jealous that she’d been spending so much time with Lisa, she knew that even without him needing to tell her. She felt a little bad for her friend, sure, but… Lisa needed her.

With the safety of the group, Louisa noticed that Lisa looked more relaxed as they rode not only through Jarlaheim but also through the Forgotten Fields. Louisa rode as close to Lisa as she could through the Forgotten Fields, though, resting a hand on Lisa’s shoulder.

“It’s okay, I’m okay,” Lisa whispered to herself, though she still trembled and looked very on edge. She only relaxed once they reached the tree, the friend group spreading out around the tree while Lisa and Louisa dismounted and walked up to the tree’s gnarled old bark.

“Quick question,” said Louisa as they stood before the tree. “How do you greet a tree?”

“No idea,” said Lisa with a shrug. “Uh, hi? Sleeping Widow? You up?” She touched a hand to the bark and then gasped as the tree suddenly shuddered with life, branches twisting in the breeze.

“Soul Riders,” said the tree, her voice still booming. “You have finally seen fit to return.”

“Sorry,” said Lisa. “I-I needed to rest and recover, I needed t-“

“You needed to spend more time with your pretty friend, you mean,” said the tree. Lisa and Louisa both blushed, not looking at each other.

“Sorry you’re old and widowed,” said Ariana. “We can’t all be single and bitter.”

“My wife was murdered!” the tree boomed, thrashing her limbs a little now. A few horses and riders shifted, about to fight, but the tree soon settled.

“Sorry,” Lisa said again. “But I’m here to make it up to you now. What do you need me to do?”

“Do you see that tree across the water, on yonder hill?” the tree asked. Lisa looked, nodding when she saw what tree the Widow meant.

“The one on Scarecrow Hill?” Via asked.

“The very one,” said the tree. “When my wife died and her roots started to drop off into the sea, I was cut off from the network of other trees. I need you to grow my roots until they reach the other shore, I will then be able to link them up with the roots of the tree on Scarecrow Hill, as you call it.”

“Okay,” said Lisa. “And how are we supposed to do that?”

“Do not backtalk me, child!” the tree roared, thrashing her limbs again. “Only do what I ask, and as quickly as possible. I have been so lonely these years.”

“Okay, okay,” said Lisa, holding her hands up and stepping away from the tree. “I’ll figure out a way to grow your roots over to the Scarecrow Hill tree.”

“Very good,” said the tree. “Return to me once it has been done.”

“Okay,” said Lisa again, nodding. “Thank you, again, for saving me from Pandoria.”

“At least some humans are grateful,” said the tree. “Go now, and grow my roots.”

“So, what’s the plan?” Willow asked after Lisa and Louisa had returned to them. Lisa was still shaking, so Louisa held her hand again.

“I’m thinking we go down to the shore and see what we’re working with here,” said Lisa.

“I could help with that,” said Viktor. “I’m a good swimmer.”

“Somehow, I don’t think she means for us to grow her roots by swimming,” said Lisa. “Or using a boat.”

“It’s never that easy or simple,” said Ariana. “Always gotta be something magical with these guys.”

“Especially with one of the Life Wardens,” said Willow. Her father had told her stories about them when she’d been younger, and she was still struggling to come to terms with the fact that it was all real.

“Linda might know something,” said Roo. “If you can’t help us, anyway, Willow.”

“I only know bits and pieces,” said Willow. “Linda can help us out, this might be a little out of our depth.”

“Then I guess we’re taking a trip to the library,” said Roo, looking entirely too happy about that. They all knew that she just wanted to see Linda, though.

“Yay, my favourite place,” said Daine with a roll of his eyes.

“You can sit outside and play with your phone if you’re bored,” said Roo. Daine scowled at her.

Though Shane could have given them a lift in a horse trailer, that would have taken too long, so the group forded the river behind the riding hall and rode up to the equestrian centre where the library, and Linda, was located.

Upon seeing Roo, Linda’s face broke into a massive grin and she sprung from her seat in the library to run and embrace her girlfriend.

“Roo, hi!” said Linda, still beaming from ear to ear. “Fancy seeing you here.”

“I wish I could say this was a friendly visit,” said Roo with a sigh. “But unfortunately, we need your brains today.”

“We?” Linda asked. “Who’s-“

The quiet of the library was quickly interrupted by the rest of the group entering, some chatting loudly while others, like Louisa and Willow, observed the unwritten universal law of silence in the library.

“Them,” said Roo, gesturing to the group that was quickly forming around them.

“Ah,” said Linda. “So much for spending the day enjoying a good book.”

“You do that too often, you really need to get out more,” said Ariana. Linda frowned at her.

“Ariana, don’t be rude,” said Louisa, giving her friend a quick look of motherly disapproval that she’d somehow mastered thanks to not just her friends but also a certain troublesome foal she’d found. 

“Lin, we need your brains today,” said Lisa. “The Sleeping Widow asked us to grow her roots across the water to join up with the tree on Scarecrow Hill and I don’t even know where to start with that and maybe we could just swim it across or graft on other roots but she’s an ancient being, she’s probably expecting something else and-“

“Breathe, Lisa,” said Louisa, rubbing Lisa’s back. “It’s gonna be fine, we’ll figure this out, Linda will figure something out.” Lisa sucked in deep breaths, tears glimmering on her cheeks as her breaths came out in sobs. Louisa pulled Lisa to her again, patting her back and murmuring soothing words in her ear.

“Okay,” said Linda, pushing her glasses up her nose. “I wonder if maybe we should look back to how Aideen first formed the network of tree roots. Did you know that’s how they communicate? Like an ancient internet. Fascinating!”

“Too bad we can’t just string a bunch of tin cans and strings across the ocean to link the trees,” said Lisa, sniffling and wiping her eyes. Louisa handed her the hanky again.

“Keep it,” said Louisa.

“I’ll look into it,” said Linda. “You just go and get some rest, Lisa. Relax. Go for a ride with Starshine and Louisa, they make you happy.”

“I do?” Louisa blurted, her cheeks colouring as Lisa looked at her.

“Yeah,” said Lisa. “I don’t just ride out from the manor to Jorvik Stables every day for the journey.”

“Oh,” said Louisa, her heart thumping so loudly in her ears that she’d be surprised if her friends couldn’t hear it. She didn’t see the knowing glances her friends exchanged, the smirks. Her gaze was only on Lisa, who suddenly looked a lot closer. In terms of a romantic interest, anyway. Louisa had never even considered that Lisa might return her feelings.

“So, you two go have fun, stay safe, use protection,” said Ariana. “We’ll help Linda come up with a plan and call you when we know something.”

“Sounds like a good plan,” said Lisa. “Maybe we can catch a movie or something.”

“Yeah, sounds good,” said Louisa, hoping that she wasn’t trembling or visibly sweating too much. As she left the library with Lisa, she felt all eyes on her.

“The Christmas movies should be out now, shouldn’t they?” Lisa asked as the two walked over to where the horses had been left in the stableyard.

“Yeah, should be,” said Louisa.

“Good,” said Lisa. “Because I’m in the mood for losing myself in a cute, fluffy Christmas movie.”

“Me too,” said Louisa. “To Jorvik City?” Immediately, she cursed herself- of course Jorvik City, you moron, what other movie theatres were there?

“Yes,” said Lisa. “Starshine will be right without me for a few hours, won’t you, boy?”

“Of course,” said Starshine. “Goldmist is excellent company.” Goldmist gave a happy snort.

The whole ride to the bus stop in Fort Pinta (it was closest), Louisa chattered nervously about anything that came to mind. She couldn’t seem to take her mind off what Lisa had said, that she came to Jorvik Stables every single day specifically to see Louisa. That she made Lisa happy. That this warm feeling she got whenever she was with Lisa was felt by Lisa too.

On the bus, they shared a set of earbuds, listening to the music on Lisa’s phone. Surprisingly, only a few of the songs were her own. During one of the more romantic songs, Louisa saw Lisa mouthing the lyrics and stealing glances at her. But Louisa turned away, her heart pounding too much to make a move. She almost jumped out of her skin when Lisa slid her hand into Louisa’s.

Lisa picked the movie (not a Christmas one since they were mostly romcoms but one about singing animals named Sing) and Louisa paid for their tickets and popcorn and snacks, even though Lisa did buy more chocolate than was really necessary.

“You… like me?” Louisa found the courage to whisper after the movie trailers had ended.

“Shh, the movie’s starting,” Lisa whispered back. But their hands brushed in the popcorn too many times, and Louisa caught Lisa looking at her too many times for it to be platonic. Her heart was pounding too much, the tension was too much, she was expecting Lisa to make a move at any moment. And maybe, if the movie had been different, Lisa would have made a move.

But, when they turned their phones back on, they both found many messages from their friends.

“CALL ME!!!” Linda had texted both of them.

“Right,” said Lisa with a sigh. “Guess the world can’t stop for five minutes just so we can watch a movie, can it?”

“Unfortunately,” said Louisa. “I guess you can call her, I’ll get back to my friends. In their texts.”

Linda and Louisa’s friends both told them very much the same thing- a lot of lighthearted teasing about their ‘date’, along with the knowledge that they’d gleaned from the texts (Linda’s words)- perhaps the tree meant for them to ride across the water as Aideen once had, bearing her harp and her light. The harp, fortunately, was closeby- in the museum located in Aideen’s Plaza, currently closed for renovations.

“Will they really just hand it over to us?” Lisa asked. “I mean, I know I’m a famous celebrity but come on.”

“Actually, the Councilman of Silverglade Village knows the curator of the museum,” said Linda.

“Of course he does,” said Louisa, who was listening since Lisa had her phone on loudspeaker.

“So he’ll just let us take it?” Lisa asked.

“Yeah, but there might be some strings attached, knowing Jorvik,” said Linda.

“Aren’t there always?” said Lisa with a roll of her eyes. “But hopefully it’s not too hard.”

“We can always call in help if we need it,” said Louisa. “If my friends aren’t too busy, anyway.”

“Did they try to get all the juicy details from you too?” Lisa asked with a knowing twinkle in her eyes.

“They still don’t believe that we just watched Sing together,” said Louisa. “They’re convinced we went and saw a romcom or something.”

“I wouldn’t mind that,” said Lisa, giving Louisa a smile that seemed to freeze her heart. “But we should deal with this thing for the tree first, so we don’t have that hanging over our heads.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” said Louisa. At least, if she was worrying about this, she wouldn’t be so worried about possibly upsetting the tree and invoking its wrath.

As it turned out, the cavalry did need to be called in again in the museum. The curator wanted them to take inventory of the items before he’d hand the harp over to them, and, though Louisa’s friends grumbled about being used as free labour again, they got the job done fairly quickly.

On the bus ride home, Lisa looked at the golden harp that she held in her lap. It shone in the sunlight, and Louisa was amazed to discover that it was carved with tiny runes.

“Can you read them?” Louisa asked, running her fingers over the carvings. Her fingers brushed Lisa’s, sending another jolt of heat through her.

“No,” said Lisa, shaking her head. “Runic languages were never my thing. Alex knows it, but I’m thinking I’ll go to Elizabeth with this one.”

“I thought the sisterhood was supposed to trust each other,” said Louisa, smirking at her.

“Listen, Alex is good at what she does, but for something this serious, I want a professional,” said Lisa. “And Elizabeth’s been the mother to me I never had. She’s good at that. You remind me of her.” Her eyes glittered with tears, and Louisa laid her hand gently atop Lisa’s.

But the moment came to an end when the bus came to a stop.

“Alright, I’ll go talk to Elizabeth and let you know what she says,” said Lisa. “See you later.”

“Okay, I guess I’ll… find something to entertain myself with while I wait,” said Louisa. “See you in a bit.” The smile that Lisa gave her sent butterflies fluttering through her stomach.

The afternoon felt lonely without Lisa there with her, but, as Louisa had said, she found something to do. Johanna and Stein always had jobs for her at Jorvik Stables, and there were some books that she’d been meaning to read, and some shows to watch.

But the sound of Lisa’s ringtone still sent Louisa diving for her phone, a big smile already growing on her face.

“Hey, Lisa,” said Louisa, her heart thumping again. “What did you find out?”

“Okay, it’s a bit weird, but bear with me,” said Lisa. “So, Elizabeth said that the runes tell of the story of when Aideen first created Jorvik. She rode across the water playing her song on her harp while shining her light. I have no idea how she managed that, maybe the light actually came from within her, but that’s what the harp says. It also says that the song of Aideen can be heard from the West Wall cliff in the Firgrove mountains at dawn. And before you ask, no, it wasn’t written down anywhere. That would be too easy.”

“Of course,” said Louisa, nodding. “Nothing can ever be easy, then life would be boring.”

“Anyway, Elizabeth agrees with Linda that this must be what the tree wants,” said Lisa. “So I guess one of us has to ride across the water with someone playing the harp. One of them should probably be me, since the tree asked me to regrow her roots. And I’m used to playing stringed instruments, a harp can’t be too hard to learn.”

“Good to see I’ve managed to give you a more positive outlook on life,” said Louisa. Lisa laughed, the sound making Louisa’s stomach do flips.

“You sure have,” said Lisa. “Think you should ask your friends to come for a trip up the mountains?”

“I’ll see if they’re up for it,” said Louisa. “I’ll let you know what they say.”

“Actually, surprise me,” said Lisa. “Meet me just up the first slope in the Firgrove mountain path. There’s a path that starts behind a tree.”

“I’ll know it when I see it,” said Louisa. “See you tomorrow morning, I guess.”

“Or we could spend the night in Firgrove at the inn,” said Lisa. “That way, we won’t have to get up quite so early.”

“Damn, you really aren’t a farm girl,” said Louisa with a laugh. “Back in Australia, I’d have to get up at five some mornings just to get cattle and horses fed before the heat of the day set in.”

“I feel so sorry for you,” said Lisa. She sounded so sincere that Louisa couldn’t help but laugh.

“Good idea, though,” said Louisa. “I’ll tell them to meet you in Firgrove if they’re coming.”

“I kind of hope it’s just you,” said Lisa. Louisa’s heart pounded, her mouth feeling dry.

“Me too,” said Louisa, her fingers picking rapidly at a loose stitch in her jeans.

“You could always just… not ask them,” said Lisa. “It could be just the two of us.” And Louisa wanted to, she really did. But… then she’d be neglecting her friends.

“We’ll see,” said Louisa. “I’ll let you know.”

“Surprise me,” said Lisa. “See you later.”

After Louisa ended the call, her hands were shaking almost too much to send a message to the group chat. But she still did anyway. The answer made her feel equal parts relieved and nervous.

But Lisa’s grin when she saw just Louisa show up with Goldmist at Firgrove later that evening made Louisa feel entirely relieved that her friends had all said no to accompanying them to hear the song of Aideen, record it, and allow Lisa to learn it. It would just be the two of them after all.

“Nobody else wanted to come for an early morning ride?” Lisa asked.

“I could almost see the smirks and nudges,” said Louisa. Not that she’d minded, not really. The prospect of going for an early morning ride with Lisa, like she had with Stacy a long time ago… it was like a dream come true.

“I’ve never heard Alex whoop so loud since high school,” said Lisa with a laugh. “I could practically see Linda writing the fanfics already.”

“Please tell me Linda hasn’t somehow rented out all the rooms in the Firgrove inn so we have to share a bed,” said Louisa, grinning. Not that she’d mind that if that was the case, but still…

“I wouldn’t put it past her,” said Lisa. “But we can at least share a room, right? I mean, just because I wouldn’t mind falling asleep watching movies with you like I have on your couch a few times.” She blushed so prettily that Louisa had to look away.

“I don’t mind,” said Louisa. “But let’s not tell Linda if the receptionist mistakes us for a couple.”

“Agreed,” said Lisa. “The last thing she needs is more ammo.”

Fortunately, the receptionist didn’t mistake the two for a couple, nor did she mistakenly give them a room with only one bed. She was a sweet little old lady, too.

They only shared a bed to watch a movie together after enjoying a dinner of room service (a Sunday roast despite it not being Sunday, but it was the specialty of the people who lived here) and delicious apple pie that reminded them both sorely of where they’d grown up.

“Don’t fall asleep on my shoulder, now,” said Louisa as Lisa got comfortable leaning against her in the single bed.

“I won’t give Linda the satisfaction,” Lisa mumbled, her eyes staying closed for longer and longer.

Louisa didn’t say anything when Lisa fell asleep, though she did feel a pang of loneliness when Lisa woke up and moved to her own bed in the darkness after Louisa had switched the light out.

Lisa had fallen asleep in Louisa’s bed before, plenty of times, and neither of them had minded. Why did it matter now? Was it because they were teetering on the edge of something? Or maybe she was just nervous about tomorrow. Louisa tried not to feel abandoned, but it still stung.

Louisa hadn’t been woken up by someone in years, and at first she wasn’t sure what was happening. But, when she opened her eyes and saw Lisa grinning down at her, she remembered.

“Come on, sleeping beauty,” said Lisa, grinning as she got off the bed. “I thought you were supposed to be the early riser since you grew up on a farm.”

“Yeah, like ten years ago,” Louisa grumbled, rubbing her eyes. She yawned into her hand, wrinkling her nose at her morning breath. Why did she suddenly care about that now?

“Come on, I made you some coffee,” said Lisa, pushing it into Louisa’s hand. “We’ve gotta get going before the sun rises.”

“I haven’t put my glasses on yet,” said Louisa, setting the mug down on the nightstand beside her bed. At least Lisa had turned the light on, and it wasn’t too bright. Bless those lights that took a while to ‘warm up’, so to speak.

“You don’t need to see to drink coffee,” said Lisa.

“No, but I do need to see your pretty face,” said Louisa. Her mind caught up to her words almost immediately and she blushed. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

“Just a bit,” said Lisa. “But it’s okay. The kitchen’s not open yet and I don’t want to disturb those little old ladies or waste anymore time so we’ll just eat some of these room service cookies for breakfast. And I have some chocolate too, we can take it with us.”

“Not a very healthy breakfast,” said Louisa.

“It’s too early for mothering,” said Lisa with a roll of her eyes. “Look, we can come back down and have some oatmeal at the café, okay?”

“Don’t diss oatmeal,” said Louisa.

“It’s oatmeal,” said Lisa, giving her a look that made Louisa laugh.

“Okay, okay, deal,” said Louisa, sipping at her coffee. It was nice and hot, just the way she liked it. Lisa knew how she liked her coffee. That made Louisa’s heart skip a beat.

After finishing her coffee, getting dressed, and pulling her hair into a halfway decent ponytail, Louisa followed Lisa out of the inn and over to the stables where Starshine and Goldmist were waiting. Or what Lisa was expecting to be Goldmist, anyway.

Instead of Goldmist, there was a bay Andalusian mare in the stable, looking rather close to Starshine.

“Smokeeye,” said Louisa, surprise brushing away the last of the fatigue she felt from the early rising. “I brought Goldmist with me.”

“I convinced him to go home,” said Smokeeye. “And you’re going on a romantic early morning trail ride, how could I not join?”

“Even your horses are in on it?” Lisa asked with a laugh.

“Apparently,” said Louisa. “Oh, I hope the tree doesn’t mind that I’m not bringing my Soul Steed for this.”

“I don’t think the tree cares about what you do, really,” said Lisa, sobering at the mention of their mission. “Oh, I hope we can do this.”

“We’ll manage,” said Louisa, taking her hand and squeezing it. “We have up to this point.”

“I hope so,” said Lisa, holding Louisa’s gaze. “I just really don’t want to drown today.”

“I won’t let you,” said Louisa, her heart speeding at the very thought. She’d swim with Lisa if she had to, and she knew her friends would come to her aide if it was needed.

“Glad I have you,” said Lisa, and the smile she gave Louisa was so genuine that Louisa felt her heart leap.

The trail up the mountain seemed narrow, though it could have just been the early morning mist obscuring the ground. Lisa seemed to know where to go, though, and Starshine’s white rump provided an excellent point of brightness to navigate by. 

“So, do you come here often?” Louisa asked, noticing that Lisa was lapsing into a silence that could only be contemplative, anxiety-driven. The bad silence.

“Seriously?” Lisa asked with a bright laugh, looking back at Louisa. “You’re already using lines on me?”

“I-I didn’t me-“ Louisa stammered, her cheeks burning. But at least it had broken the silence.

“I know what you meant,” said Lisa. “And yeah, I’ve been up here a few times. It’s a nice trail, and the view is spectacular. Plus, the acoustics are pretty good for playing music. Before, anyway…”

“I can’t even imagine what it must have been like,” said Louisa, though she knew that she probably shouldn’t be talking about this. Not when Lisa was already feeling so down. But maybe the time for distractions had passed. Maybe it was time to get serious.

“I’ve already told you what it was like,” said Lisa. “The loneliness. The apathy that hits you in there. How I couldn’t even feel Starshine. How I saw Anne and then…”

“We’ll get her,” said Louisa. “We rescued you and Linda, and soon, we’ll rescue Justin and Anne. Because that’s what we do, apparently. Not that I’ve been much help.”

“Are you kidding?” Lisa asked, turning in her saddle to face Louisa. “If it weren’t for you, I’d probably either still be curled up in bed not going anywhere or doing anything or I would’ve gone mad from a nervous breakdown months ago. Yeah, I’m still suffering, but you’ve helped me so much with that, Louisa. I don’t know where I’d be without you, but it wouldn’t be anywhere good, that’s for sure. Someone like you is needed in every team. The healer, and not just physically. I’m sure all your friends would say the same.”

“Thank you,” said Louisa, though her throat threatened to close up with the intensity of emotions that she was feeling. She certainly hadn’t expected Lisa to be the one comforting her today.

“Anyway, you asked about the view,” said Lisa. “Sorry, didn’t mean to get all serious on you at five in the morning.”

“It’s okay,” said Louisa. “I’m used to it.”

“Still, it’s not good to have everyone dump their issues on you all the time,” said Lisa. “The view’s really pretty up here, though, once the mist clears up. There are a few wolves but they won’t give you much trouble. They never give me any trouble.”

“That’s good to know,” said Louisa. “I remember I used to go riding with my friends and family all the time back home in Australia. Seeing the sights on horseback, with the people you love… there’s nothing like it.”

“I completely agree,” said Lisa, holding Louisa’s eyes as they crested the top of the mountain. Here, the path became more of a slope that Louisa still easily navigated, skirting any holes and bushes and small trees and wolves.

“What’s this?” Louisa asked, her eyes huge as she followed Lisa down a little slope into a small dip that held some bushes, wolves, and a tree that looked very much like the Sleeping Widow. Only, this one exuded an aura of peace. Louisa swore that she could hear a chiming sound around it, too, and it was surrounded by tiny motes of white light.

“I actually have no idea,” said Lisa with a laugh. “You’d probably be better off asking a Jorvegian native or Linda.”

“Well, I guess we didn’t come here to learn about the surrounding landscape,” said Louisa, though she longed to linger. “It is really pretty, though.”

“Yeah, it is,” said Lisa, though she wasn’t looking at the motes or the tree or even the lush greenery that surrounded them. Instead, her eyes were on Louisa, at the way the lights glowed around her face, reflecting off her glasses. At the look of sheer delight on her face. Lisa quickly looked away when Louisa looked at her, though, hoping that her face didn’t reveal how much she’d been staring. That it wouldn’t reveal the way her heart pounded and her head felt all light just from looking at her. This was worth the early start.

“We should probably head to the cliff before the sun rises,” said Louisa. “Since we need to catch the whole song.”

“You’re right,” said Lisa, taking a deep breath. “Here goes everything, I guess.”

“The mist won’t make it hard to see the cliffs, will it?” Louisa asked. “I don’t really want to fall to my death. Or for you to fall to your death.”

“It’ll be fine,” said Lisa. “As you say, she’ll be right.” The way she tried to mimic the Australian accent made Louisa laugh, easing her nerves slightly. And Lisa couldn’t help but grin in return. When had she fallen in love with that laugh?

“Lead the way, then,” said Louisa. 

Louisa was slightly concerned that Smokeeye’s larger hooves would slip on the narrow stone path that Lisa led her over, but her mare was fine. She was probably putting her hooves in the faint imprints left behind by Starshine. But then, Louisa forgot her worries entirely as the mist cleared up, revealing the beautiful landscape of Jorvik spread out below. Lisa let Louisa ride out onto the rock ledge first, smiling as she watched her go.

“It’s beautiful,” said Louisa, breathless in her awe. From up here, she could see everything- the rolling fields, the expansive forest of Hollow Woods, a few individual houses, the roads, even the Silversong River like a shining silver ribbon in the dawn light.

“Worth the early start?” Lisa asked, riding up beside her. Louisa nodded, turning to smile at her. Lisa had never felt the urge to kiss so strongly before.

“Definitely,” said Louisa. But she looked away, and the moment passed.

“We’ve still got a while before the sun rises,” said Lisa, checking the sunrise hour on her phone. “Let’s sit here and eat chocolates while we wait.”

“That sounds like a great plan,” said Louisa, looking at her. This time, it was Lisa who broke the moment, dismounting Starshine and rummaging in her saddlebags for the chocolates she’d brought with her. It was a box of chocolates, which now struck her as romantic, not that she was complaining.

As the sky lightened and the wolves began to grow more active, along with a few birds flying through the sky, the two enjoyed their chocolates and each other’s company. Louisa felt a softness, a fondness, that she hadn’t felt with anyone for a long time. Since Stacy, the close friend who’d quickly become a crush that hadn’t panned out. Lisa seemed to reciprocate her emotions, but she’d been wrong before. Even when Lisa gently gripped Louisa’s fingers when they both reached for the same chocolate, even when Lisa looked her in the eyes, even when music started playing around them from nowhere.

“Shit, that’s the song,” said Lisa, abruptly jumping to her feet and fumbling for her phone. Louisa did the same, her cheeks burning, her hands trembling almost too much to pull her phone from her pocket and navigate to the music app.

“I’ll record the song, you just focus on playing it,” said Louisa.

“Right, got it,” said Lisa, grabbing the harp from her saddlebag. As soon as she held it in her hands, something came over her. A spell, almost. Lisa closed her eyes, feeling the magic fill her. It felt like the first time she’d healed Starshine and every time she’d healed since. It felt like sunshine. Like joy. Like she was meant to do this.

The song guided Lisa’s fingers, showing her exactly which strings to pluck and how much pressure to use. She felt lighter, as though she could almost walk on the air itself. It felt exactly how healing felt, the song flowing through her veins, the feeling of peace welling up within her. And there were colours, too, a pale pink like dawn weaving through a deeper blue.

Louisa could only watch, mesmerised, as Lisa played this instrument that she’d never played before. Maybe it was just a musician thing? But no, how could it be? There had to be some kind of magic involved, there always was. Her thoughts were confirmed when a pink glow surrounded Lisa, emanating from the runes on her harp. Her hair seemed to float around her head, and Louisa could have sworn that Lisa lifted off the ground a little, the pink glow surrounding her. But then, Lisa opened eyes burning with that same pink light, and Louisa stopped wondering. All she could see was Lisa. All she could feel was awe and love and peace, all mixed up in the pint-sized package of Lisa. The only thing Louisa knew in that moment was that she loved Lisa, and that she wanted to stay in this moment forever.

The song faded away, and Louisa found, to her chagrin, that she’d been so focused on Lisa that she hadn’t even recorded it. It had been so beautiful, though. She was sure that she’d never forget it. Just like she’d never forget the sight of Lisa consumed by magic.

“Did you get it?” Lisa asked once the song had faded away.

“Uh, no, actually,” said Louisa. “But I think you’ve got it. What was that?”

“I have no idea,” said Lisa, her eyes huge. “But now I think, yeah, this thing might just work.”

“Now we just have to get back down,” said Louisa.

“The downside of going somewhere high up,” said Lisa. Louisa grinned at her.

“Literally,” said Louisa with a laugh.

But the ride down was easier than the ride up had been. Maybe it was because they’d already ridden the path. But it was quieter, too, both women yawning as the adrenaline rush from the magic wore off.

“We’re tired because we didn’t eat a proper breakfast,” Louisa mumbled sleepily as they reached the bottom of the trail.

“You sound just like Elizabeth,” said Lisa, and yawned again.

“My point,” said Louisa, grinning. “I am hungry, though. Let’s go.”

“They should be serving breakfast now, too,” said Lisa.

“Perfect timing,” said Louisa.

“I bet you never finished early morning rides like this back home, huh?” Lisa asked as they neared the high, spiked wooden walls of the village.

“Nope. My mum used to cook us up a big breakfast, or my grandma. I mostly went riding with my aunt or mum though, or my friends or sisters. Sometimes big groups,” said Louisa, her eyes misting over in remembrance.

“Oh. Sorry if that’s a sore topic,” said Lisa. “I know homesickness is a bitch.”

“It is,” said Louisa. “But it’s okay, I’ll get over it. Maybe something sweet will help with that.”

“What about a proper breakfast?” Lisa teased.

“Waffles are a proper breakfast,” said Louisa. Lisa laughed.

“What if they have chocolate chips and strawberries and cream and maple syrup on them?” Lisa asked.

“Stop, you’re making me hungry,” said Louisa, joining her laughter to Lisa’s.

The little old lady who ran the café in Firgrove smiled to see the two women enter the café, still laughing and joking with each other.

“Nice to see you young folks up and about so early,” said the old woman. 

“We went for an early morning trail ride,” said Louisa.

“Up the Firgrove mountains to watch the sun rise,” said Lisa.

“Ah, that takes me back,” said the old woman. “Why, I used to go there with my Frank all the time back when we were young lovebirds. Ah, to be young again…” She shook her head, trying not to get too lost in her memories.

“It is a nice place for a date, isn’t it?” Smokeeye chimed in, her voice only in Louisa’s mind. Louisa’s insides froze.

“A what?” Louisa responded to her horse. Smokeeye snorted, her laughter in Louisa’s mind making her blush.

“You woke at dawn after spending the night together in the same hotel room, you rode up a trail and watched the sun rise together, just the two of you, and now you’re having breakfast together. And I’ll bet a month of sugar cubes in my feed that she’s going to pay for it,” said Smokeeye. “You’re on a date, girl.”

“Oh,” said Louisa quietly to her horse, and hoped that the expression on her face wasn’t too telling.

“Still planning on having those waffles for breakfast?” Lisa asked as the two looked at the menu. It was mostly apple-themed- apple fritters, apple dumplings, apple muffins, apple turnovers, apple muffins, apple pie…

“How about we share a big breakfast and then a platter of waffles and apple desserts?” Louisa suggested. She’d missed out before because she hadn’t been brave enough, she wasn’t going to do that again.

“I like the way you think,” said Lisa, grinning at her. “I bet the breakfast here isn’t as good as you can cook, though.”

“Ah, you might be surprised,” said the old woman who now stood behind the cash register. “We cook with love here too.”

“But it’s different when it’s cooked by someone you like,” said Smokeeye. Louisa blushed, the butterflies in her stomach seeming as big as the ones she’d seen on South Hoof.

“So, do you think you’ll remember the song of Aideen?” Louisa asked once they were seated at a table close to their horses. Lisa wanted to be always by her Starshine after she’d been ambushed by the Dark Riders in the Forgotten Fields, and Louisa wanted to be close to her ‘wingmare’, so to speak.

“I don’t even know if I’ll need to remember,” said Lisa. “When I touched the harp, it was just like the song came to me. Like my fingers knew exactly what to do.”

“So, we didn’t need to go up to the cliff after all?” Louisa asked. “Not that I minded, it was really nice to experience that with you.”

“I have no idea,” said Lisa, shaking her head. “That didn’t happened when I touched the harp yesterday, though, so maybe it was needed after all, I don’t know. But hey, it was nice, wasn’t it?”

“So worth getting up early for,” said Louisa, her heart fluttering as she grinned.

“We should do it again sometime,” said Lisa. “As long as the tree doesn’t deem my actions not enough and turn me into a Lignos or something.”

“I’m sure it won’t come to that,” said Louisa, bravely reaching for Lisa’s hand. “But if it does, well, you’ll be the prettiest Lignos. Also, my friends will probably fight a tree for you.”

“So will mine,” said Lisa, laughing. “So, you think I’m pretty, huh?”

“I’d be blind not to,” said Louisa.

“You’re pretty, too,” said Lisa. “I’m serious, I know you think you’re plain but I completely disagree.”

“Silver tongue like that, I’m surprised you don’t have a girlfriend,” said Louisa, fighting the urge to pick at her jeans or napkin.

“I could,” said Lisa. “If you want that.”

Louisa pinched herself, relieved to find that it hurt. And then, she grinned.

“After just one date? Are you sure?” Louisa asked.

“One date and weeks of hanging out with you and getting to know you,” said Lisa. “Yes, I’m sure. I really like you, Louisa.”

“I really like you too,” said Louisa, her heart thumping. “Let’s be girlfriends.” Lisa grinned at her.

Louisa was expecting a kiss, but breakfast came first, along with a tall coffee for each of them. Well, Louisa’s was a coffee, Lisa had a mocha.

“Pity we can’t spend the day together,” said Louisa. “Even though we did that yesterday.”

“I’d love to spend my last hours with you if I could,” said Lisa. “But I need to practice my- harp playing.” Louisa noticed the pause, though she wasn’t sure if she’d imagined it.

“If you say so,” said Louisa with a grin. Lisa laughed, blushing and snagging a piece of toast to dip in egg yolk and nibble on.

“Time to go see if this works,” said Lisa once the food had been eaten and the mugs emptied. “If I can move.”

“I’m sure the tree won’t mind if you slip into a food coma,” said Louisa. “So, was it as good as mine?”

“Almost,” said Lisa. Louisa blushed, grinning and knowing she looked stupid but not caring.

It was a little disappointing to leave Firgrove without a kiss (though Lisa did pay for the food, as Smokeeye had predicted), but Lisa seemed nervous about her mission, so Louisa didn’t blame her. Instead, while Lisa practiced her harp playing and tested to see if it would work, Louisa went home to share the news with her friends.

“Lisa asked me out” Louisa sent to the group chat, staring at the words even after sending them. This was real. It wasn’t a dream. She couldn’t stop grinning, the butterflies in her stomach were in full flight. And, when the ‘congratulations’ started rolling in, Louisa’s cheeks started to hurt as she sat down on her couch and started the lengthy process of replying to them all.

“Finally!!! The sexual tension was killing me omg” Ariana sent with several eggplant emojis.

“Ariana they’re lesbians” Roo responded with several peach and tongue emojis. Louisa blushed as red as Lisa’s hair, and had to laugh at Izzy’s message.

“Ace in the chat” Izzy sent in.

“Lol sorry :p” Ariana sent. Louisa pressed her hand to her burning cheek, her heart thumping.

“I’m happy for you” Viktor sent, and Louisa’s heart soared. If her best friend was happy for her, that was all that mattered.

“But seriously, tell us everything” Ariana sent.

“Group call?” Daine sent. Louisa knew that there were too many words for his dyslexia to keep up with, so she nodded and then, realising how stupid that was, started a group call.

And so, while Lisa practiced playing the song of Aideen on the magical harp and tested to see if it was waterproof off the coast of South Hoof where shellfish was gathered, Louisa told her friends all about her very first date. Her first real date, she decided. The dates with Jason way back then didn’t count, those had been before she’d been her true self. Her friends were shocked that she hadn’t received a kiss yet, and weren’t shy in admitting that they’d been hoping for this to happen. Some even betting on it.

“Oh come on, you didn’t bet on Jay and Willow,” said Louisa.

“Didn’t we?” Roo asked, to which Willow made an annoyed noise.

“But seriously, I’m glad you two are finally together,” said Willow. “Now we can go on double dates.”

“I’d like that,” said Louisa. “Maybe you can even give me some pointers.”

“I can give you some too,” said Ariana.

“Later,” said Willow, and Louisa could just see the frown on her face. But she was still buzzing with the adrenaline, with this feeling of new love. This was what love felt like, what true happiness felt like. It felt good.

Later, Louisa received a call from Lisa when she was halfway through folding her laundry. Immediately, she stopped what she was doing to answer her phone.

“Lisa?” said Louisa, her heart thumping somewhere in her throat.

“I did it,” said Lisa, and Louisa could hear the wonder in her voice. “It works, too. Come to the Forgotten Fields and let’s get this done so we can return the harp and go on a proper date.”

“Want me to bring the gang to witness a miracle?” Louisa asked.

“Well, if this works, it will be a miracle,” said Lisa. “If it doesn’t, well, we’ll have plenty of people to come to our rescue.” Louisa laughed.

“That’s a good way of looking at it,” said Louisa. She could hear the smile in Lisa’s voice.

“I’ll be waiting,” said Lisa.

Louisa hung up, excitement thrilling through her veins, and sent one quick message to the group chat before she grabbed Goldmist and rode for the Forgotten Fields.

Just as Louisa had expected, a group of her friends was there to greet her, all standing a little distance from the shore. She could hear music, instantly familiar to her. It was exactly the music that she’d heard on the West Wall Cliff with Lisa that morning, the music that Lisa had played so easily. Only now, it was accompanied by the sound of water sucking at the rocks.

“Make way, her girlfriend’s coming through,” Roo called, to which Louisa blushed and tried not to shrink down too obviously. Instead, she tried to sit up straight, her heart thudding as Goldmist walked through the parted crowd. The sight that she beheld almost took her breath away.

There was Lisa, sitting astride Starshine, her fingers moving over the strings of the golden harp. Both harp and harpist glowed with a pink light that reached down to a star symbol that stretched out beyond Starshine’s hooves. It made just enough space for two riders to stand on, if they were careful about it and squashed up together a little.

“Are you sure you want me to help with this?” Louisa asked, looking back at her friends for a moment.

“I’d rather not,” said Daine.

“I specifically requested that it be you,” said Lisa, opening eyes that glowed pink. Her fingers continued to play the harp, though, and Louisa quickly saw why once she managed to drag her eyes from Lisa’s hauntingly beautiful face- Starshine was standing atop the water as though it were nothing. His hooves weren’t even wet.

“It really does work,” said Louisa.

“I know, I’m surprised too,” said Lisa. “But I can’t stop playing or we’ll end up going for a swim.” Louisa laughed, seeing that Lisa’s hair looked a bit damp in places. Starshine looked a bit damp too, now that she was looking at him.

“Well, I brought the fragment of Aideen’s light,” said Louisa. “It didn’t even need recharging.” It never had, which Elizabeth and Avalon both found strange. Normally, the fragment would need to be recharged at the Sun Stone every few weeks, but it had been a long time since they’d first charged this one. Maybe there was something special about their group. But Louisa didn’t dwell on that right now. Not when they were about to perform a miracle.

“So, we’re ready, then,” said Lisa. “Ready to perform a miracle?”

“Or get a bit wet round the hooves,” said Louisa, grinning. Lisa grinned back at her and extended a hand to help Louisa onto the shield that hovered on top of the water.

For a moment, it held. And then, with a neigh of warning from Starshine, the shield shattered and both horses and riders plunged into the water.

“Okay, maybe keep playing the harp,” said Louisa, already shivering as she climbed back onto the shore. But then Lisa laughed, and Louisa joined in.

“I was distracted,” said Lisa, wringing her wet shirt out.

“At least you admit it,” said Willow.

Still giggling, Lisa mounted Starshine again after getting as much water as she could out of her clothes and started playing the harp again. The pink glow returned, reforming the Star Circle shield beneath Starshine’s hooves.

“Alright, squish in with me here so it’s easier,” said Lisa. Louisa nodded, riding Goldmist as close to Starshine as she could. “Might be a bit of a squeeze but it’s only across the water.”

“I don’t mind being so close to you,” said Louisa. Her cheeks burned, but Lisa only winked at her.

Louisa was so close to Lisa now that she could feel the power thrumming through her girlfriend (which still made her heart skip a beat to think that word) as Lisa played the harp.

“Now, neither of us have ever done dressage before but keep time with Starshine,” said Lisa. “Don’t lag behind or go too far ahead or you’ll fall off.”

“I know,” said Louisa, her heart thumping from more than just nerves. She took a deep breath, then nodded.

“Let’s do this,” said Lisa. “Shine the light every so often to help grow the roots. I really hope this works.”

“Me too,” said Louisa. She tried not to shake too much as Lisa started forward, Goldmist easily keeping pace with him. “Please don’t get distracted now.”

“I do have some self-control,” said Lisa. Starshine snorted.

Louisa wasn’t sure if she breathed as they crossed the water. She tried not to look down, but she swore she heard the creak of roots growing every time she shone the light fragment. Lisa’s face was creased in concentration and worry, but her hands were steady as she played the harp. The pink light grew in intensity the longer the spell held, and Louisa hoped that it didn’t remind Lisa too much of Pandoria.

And then, in an instant, the water beneath Starshine and Goldmist’s hooves turned to sand. And they were on the shore of Golden Hills Valley. Louisa let out a shaky breath as she gazed around, while Lisa took her fingers away from the harp and gasped.

“We did it,” said Lisa, half breathless. “We actually did it, Louisa!” She turned to Louisa, grinning, and the nerves melted away at the look of sheer delight on Lisa’s face. They seemed to have the same idea, dismounting on shaky legs and moving towards each other.

The first kiss wasn’t what Louisa had expected. It didn’t taste of anything sweet, chocolate or coffee or baked goods. It wasn’t in the stable, surrounded by horses and nobody else. It wasn’t even with friends watching, because they were all on the other shore. Though they could probably see anyway.

Instead, the first kiss was damper than Louisa had expected. It tasted salty from their earlier brief dip. It was a little cool from the air drying the water on their skin, but also warm from how flushed their faces were. But when Lisa pulled away, it was only to grin at her girlfriend, her body almost vibrating with delight.

“We did it!” Lisa cheered, bouncing on the spot. “We actually did it, I can’t believe it!”

“We did,” said Louisa, grinning. Her heart was thumping in her chest. “We performed a miracle and I got to kiss the prettiest girl in Jorvik.”

“So did I,” said Lisa. Louisa’s cheeks warmed and she pressed a hand to her cheek.

“Do you want to do it again?” Louisa asked, fighting the urge to play with her hair. Lisa’s response was to kiss her again, reaching up to pull Louisa’s head down to kiss her again, her hands laced behind Louisa’s neck, beneath her hair.

This kiss felt more like a proper kiss, as far as Louisa knew them. There were soft breaths, the brush of lips, the feel of thumbs gently stroking skin, bodies pressed together humming with nerves.

A snort from Goldmist interrupted them, and Louisa was annoyed for a moment before she remembered.

“Oh, right,” said Louisa. “We should make sure the tree’s happy with what we did.”

“Probably,” said Lisa. “But this time, let’s take the horse trailers. I don’t think my nerves can handle another ride across the water.”

“Same,” said Louisa with a laugh. She almost didn’t want to let go of Lisa, but she knew that it was only as long as it took to get back to the tree. After that, they could spend all the time they wanted together. All the time in the world, maybe.


End file.
